A tragic train accident occurred in a small town near Brussels, Belgium, resulting in the death of two children and two adults on Tuesday morning. The children, aged 12 and 15, were students at a special education school. The accident took place in Buggenhout, situated about 20 miles from central Brussels.
The incident involved a van carrying seven children, a driver, and a counselor. Kurt Moens, a deputy for East Flanders responsible for education, confirmed these details during a news conference at the crash site. Reports indicated that the van bypassed down barriers and ignored red lights at the crossing, leading onto the tracks.
Thomas Baeken, a spokesperson for Infrabel, the company managing transportation infrastructure, mentioned in an interview that despite the train’s emergency brake being deployed, the collision could not be avoided. The accident, which occurred at 8:08 a.m., was captured on camera, and these images will be part of the ongoing investigation. Baeken expressed profound sorrow over the incident.
Lisa De Wilde, a spokesperson for the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office, provided further details on the victims. The driver was 49 years old, and the counselor was 27. Five minors were hospitalized in critical condition; however, they stabilized by the time of the news conference held just before 1 p.m. in Belgium.
Belgian and European leaders shared condolences for the victims’ families. Bernard Quintin, the Belgian interior minister, expressed deep sadness on social media, extending thoughts to the victims and hoping for strength for those injured. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Union’s executive branch, stated that Europe mourns with Belgium.
A correction was issued regarding a picture caption that initially misstated the day the image was taken, clarifying it was Tuesday.